PERTEMPS' LAUNCHES FIRST WEB-BASED ASSESSMENT FACILITY FOR JOB-SEEKERS

Job-hunting in Bristol, Manchester and West Midlands is being made easier thanks to Preface Online - a new online assessment process for temporary and permanent commercial positions launched by national independent recruitment agency Jobs@Pertemps.

Candidates can complete the online assessment, at their convenience, which allows Pertemps staff to evaluate their skills and put them forward for appropriate vacancies.

The service is being launched initially in Bristol, Manchester and the Midlands but the innovative assessment process will be rolled out to all commercial branches in the near future.

Using both on-screen and audio instructions to guide candidates through the process, the resources cover the assessments required for all positions offered by the commercial division of Jobs@Pertemps, including administrative, secretarial, PA and call centre roles.

The assessments take up to 30 minutes to complete, and the results are automatically collated and shown onscreen after each section is completed. Candidates will still be free to take the assessments in their local Jobs@Pertemps branch, but Preface Online means they need only visit the branch to have a brief introductory interview with a consultant before being considered for vacancies. The bulk of the registration process can be completed online ­ at a time and place to suit the job-hunter.

Preface Online is designed to develop a full profile of each candidate's skills and abilities, allowing Jobs@Pertemps consultants to match them quickly and accurately with suitable opportunities. It includes spelling and keying exercises, where candidates are given audio instructions to type certain words, plus numerical and aptitude tests which provide the basic skills for any commercial post. A Microsoft Office suite of assessments will soon be added to complete the range.

To access the assessment tests, candidates should register at www.jobsatpertemps.co.uk and apply for a position that interests them. They will then be prompted to take the relevant tests when they submit their CV.

Carmen Watson, a director of Pertemps, said: "The online assessment facility gives our candidates greater flexibility and convenience. It means that they can now register with us, place their CV online and start applying for jobs all at the same time.

"And, because Preface Online is web-based, the service is available any time, any place ­ meaning that candidates can apply for new jobs out of office hours and in the comfort of their own home.

"Some of the feedback we've received from early users has mentioned the fact that taking the tests in branches can be nerve-wracking ­ whereas this new resource makes the assessment process as comfortable and stress-free as possible."